Shakur Stevenson gets little sympathy from boxing public

Shakur Stevenson sits on the sidelines now, his hand wrapped in bandages instead of gloves. The fight with Joe Cordina, set for October 12th, is off. No grand payday. No headlining on pay-per-view. Just an injury and, for some, a sense that karma has finally caught up with him.

It’s no secret that Shakur has made his fair share of enemies in the boxing world. Some say it started with the way he ducked a rematch against Edwin De Los Santos, a fight that left questions hanging in the air. Then there’s the constant baiting of Gervonta Davis, the endless chatter, the clout chasing. And let’s not forget William Zepeda and Frank Martin - fighters he’s been accused of swerving, avoiding as though his undefeated record depended on it.

And now, here he is. Brittle hands, career teetering, and what should’ve been an easy payday against Cordina slipping away. A $5 million slip, if rumors are to be believed. It’s hard not to wonder, would things have turned out differently if Stevenson had taken the harder fights, made the tougher choices? But speculation doesn’t change reality, and reality has dealt Shakur a harsh hand.

The injury itself, reportedly a ruptured tendon, might just rob him of the little power he had left. Stevenson’s never been known for his knockout punch. At 126 and 130 pounds, he could dominate smaller fighters with his speed and precision, but lightweight is another story. At 135, he’s looked out of place, a “fish out of water” as some would say, ever since the fight with De Los Santos. That night, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas turned hostile. The boos rained down, and the cracks in his armor became visible. He hasn’t been the same since.

Now, with the injury keeping him out until at least 2025, people are starting to wonder: is this the end of the road for Shakur Stevenson? His promoter, Eddie Hearn, might be thinking the same thing. Hearn signed Stevenson to a two-fight deal with Matchroom, and after this, he’s probably counting down the days until he can cut ties. Even before the injury, it felt like the writing was on the wall. The last fight against De Los Santos wasn’t just a tough night in the ring - it was an exposure of sorts, a sign that Shakur might not be cut out for the lightweight division after all.

So here we are, with Stevenson nursing a hand injury that feels like it might be as much about fate as it is about physicality. Karma, as they say, has a way of catching up. Whether it’s for dodging tough fights or chasing after the wrong ones, it seems like Shakur’s past is finally coming back to haunt him.

The question now isn’t whether he’ll be back, but how. And, more importantly, what’s left for him when he does.